Machine with rotary pocketed hopper for packing string beans



Dec. 2, 1952 A. R. THOMPSON Original Filed July 14, 1942 F'IIEI- l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 E .92 i H Ablgjvvucm to b l9 i2 73 4 22 Z k 22 A4852? 2. THOMPSON 1952 A. R. THOMPSON 2,620,091

MACHINE WITH ROTARY POCKETED HOPPER FOR PACKING STRING BEANS Original Filed July 14, 1942 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I I I II II lull-m (lllllllllllllllllllll ALBERT RJ THOMPSON Patented Dec. 2, 1952 MACHINE WITH ROTARY POCKETED HOPPER FOR PACKING STRING BEANS Albert R. Thompson, Los Gatos, Calif., assignor to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Original application July 14, 1942, Serial No. 450,938. Divided and this application August 25, 1945, Serial No. 612,593

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine for handling string beans and more particularly to mechanism for arranging a promiscuous mass of string beans in parallel relation and for feeding bunches of the string beans so arranged to a place for subsequent packing thereof. This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 450,938 filed July 14, 1942, for Machine for Packing String Beans, now Patent No, 2,467,278, dated April 12, 1949.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for handling string beans by which the individual pods of a promiscuous mass of string beans are arranged in substantially parallel relation and are maintained in such relation for subsequent handling thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feed mechanism for string bean packing machines for receiving a promiscuous mass of string beans, for arranging the individual pods of said mass in substantially parallel relation, and for dividing the string beans into separate bunches of substantially equal size.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical section through a portion of the feed mechanism of a machine for handling string beans constructed in accordance to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of the feed mechanism shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line 2-2 thereof. 7

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a portion of Fig. 2, taken along the line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of a portion of Fig. 2, taken along the line 4-4 thereof.

Fig. 5 is a perspective illustration of a portion of the feed hopper structure of the machine.

The figures illustrate that portion of a machine for packing string beans necessary to show the structure of the present invention, a complete disclosure of this machine being contained in my copending application Serial No. 450,938, now Patent No. 2,467,278, of which the present application is a division, reference being made thereto for a detailed disclosure of this machine.

The feed mechanism of the machine comprises a feed hopper D, a feed turret E, and a feed chute F. The string beans are adapted to be deposited in a promiscuous mass into the feed hopper D which function to isolate small groups of string beans from the mass, to arrange the individual beans of a bunch or group into substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other,

and to deposit the string beans into the feed turret E. The feed turret E supplies the beans in bunches, each having the beans arranged substantially in parallel relation to each other, to the feed chute F which is adapted to .feed the string beans in the manner fully described in the above identified copending application.

The feed mechanism is carried by a housing 4 having a rear wall II, a front wall [2, side walls 13 and I4, and a bottom wall I6, forming a compartment IT. The side wall [3 (Fig. 2) is provided with an opening l8 through which a member I9 extends into th compartment H.

The. member [9 consists of a plate 2| which is secured to the wall l3 by means of cap screws 22 and the inner portion of the member I 9 is formed into an arcuate-shaped turret housing 23 within which the feed turret E is rotatably mounted by means of a shaft 24 rotatably arranged within bearings 26 and 21, as shown in Fig. 1.

The turret E comprises a plurality of circular discs 28 and 29 spaced from each other equidis tantly by means of their hub portions 3| and 32, respectively. The hub portions of the discs 28 and 29 of the feed turret E are provided with interlocking claws 33 while one of the discs 29, designated 29a, is secured to the shaft 24 by means of a key 34 for rotation therewith. It will therefore be seen that upon rotation of the shaft 24 the disc 29a will be rotated therewith, causing a corresponding rotation of the remaining discs 29 as well as disc 28 due to the interlocking connection between the several discs above referred to. Each of the disc 28 and 29 of the feed turret E is provided with a plurality of fingers or vanes 4| extending in angular directions from the body portion of the discs so as to form receiving pockets 42 therebe'tween. The adjacent vanes of adjacent discs are positioned in alignment with respect to each other so that all pockets 42 are aligned with respect to each other (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3).

The upper end of the compartment I 'l is closed by an annular housing portion 43, forming an integral part of the housing 4 and provided with an elongated opening 44 extending parallel to the axis of the feed turret E. The length of the opening 4% exceeds the maximum length of the strin beans to be handled by the machine. The feed turret E is so arranged with respect to the arcuate-shaped turret housing 23 that the outer ends of the vanes 4| are in proximity thereof and the pockets 42 are closed during their travel from the opening 42 to the feed chute F.

Mounted Within and above the annular housing portion it previously referred to is the feed hopper D already previously mentioned herein. This feed hopper is of somewhat conical configuration and consists of an annular hopper wall or housing 36 to which insert members ll are welded in spaced relation so as to form a plurality of radially disposed inclined bean receiving slots or pockets d8 therebetween. Each of the insert members ii, see Figs. 1, 2 and 5, consists of an upper can supporting surface 51 and upper side walls 52 and 53, as well as lower side walls id and 55. The insert members 57 are arranged in such a manner with respect to each other within the annular hopper housing it that the side walls 52 and 5d are adjacent the side walls 53 and and form in conjunction with the hopper housing at the bean receiving pockets 28 previously referred to. lhe upper portions of these bean receiving pockets it are formed by opposing side Walls 52 and 53 of the insert members ll. These side walls extend at right angles to the hopper housing 66 and form rectangular bean receiving pockets therewith.

The lower portions of the bean receiving pockets :23 are formed by the side walls 5 5 and 55 of opposing insert members 47 and diverge from each other toward the hopper housing 35 at 57 and respectively. The greatest diversion of these side walls 5'? and 53 from each other is adjacent the juncture with the side walls 52 and 53 which is established by means of triangular plates 541a and 56a welded between the side walls 52 and 54 as well as sidewalls 53 and 56, respectively. While the hopper housing it forms a bottom for the upper portions of the bean receiving pockets 53 intermediate the side walls 52 and 53 of the insert members ii, it should be noted that the hopper housing 3-5 is cut away at the bottom of the lower portion of the bean receiving pockets 48 intermediate the side walls 55 and 56, see Fig. 5. However, due to the fact that the lower portion of the hopper housing 68 extends into the annular housing portion 43, see Fig. l, and is in close proximity thereof the annular housing portion '53 closes the bottom of the lower portion of the bean receiving pockets iil for purposes as will be described later on.

The lower ends of the insert members ll are supported and closed by a conical supporting member iii keyed to a shaft rotatably mounted within a hub portion E3 forming an integral part of a bottom wall (it of the annular housing 43.

The upper end Q5 of the shaft 62 is of reduced diameter, see Fig. 1, and slidably arranged upon the same is a conical clamping member 57 provided with an upper bean supporting surface 63 and a conical clamp-ing surface adapted to engage the upper surface iii of the insert members ii. Clamp screws 7i freely rotatable within the conical clamping member t7 and threadedly received within the hub portion of the conical supporting member SI are provided for forcing the conical clamping member (37 into clamping" engagement with the insert members l7 so as to force the lower ends I2 of the same into frictional engagement with the coni al supporting member I5 I, whereby the hopper casing 68, the insert members All, the conical supporting member 5! and the conical clamping member I28 are rigidly clamped together for rotation with the shaft previously referred to.

The lower end of the annular housing portion it and the side of the housing i adjacent rear wall ii is provided with an extension wall "it forming a gear housing which is closed by a 4 cover plate iii, see Fig. 1, provided with bearings I7 and it. The bearing l7 receives the lower end of the shaft 62, and keyed to said shaft intermediate the bearing portion 63 and I7 is a bevel gear it.

The rear end of the shaft extends through bearing is and is rotatably supported therein. Keyed to the rear end of the shaft 2s is a sprocket wheel 85, while interposed between the bearing 27 of the side wall ll. of the housing A and the bearing it of the cover plate #6 is a bevel gear rotation therewith and intermes. es with the 81. This bevel gear is keyed to the shaft 2 for bevel gear it on shaft 82.

The shaft 2a is adapted to be driven from a suitable source of power (not shown) by means of a chain Iilfi trained around the sprocket 86, so that the turret E is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow Iiil, Fig. 2. Due to the intermeshing relation between bevel gears 87 and E9 the shaft 62 and the hopper structure D, i. e. the parts it, ll, 67 and GI thereof, are rotated in a corresponding direction, as indicated by arrows H28 in Figs. 1 and 2.

Mounted within the compartment I'i of the housing l of the feed mechanism of the machine, are plates III and H2 extending longitudinally and transversely of the housing 4 and forming the feed chute F in conjunction therewith. The front end of the plate I II is slotted, as shown at H3 in Fig. 3, so that a plurality of finger-like extensions IId are formed thereby extending between the discs 28 and 29 of the feed turret E, the outermost extensions I I6 of the plate I II being considerably shorter than the extensions I M, see Figs. 2 and 3. The front ends of the extensions II l, as well as the extensions Ht, are bent in upward directions, see Fig. 2.

The front end of the plate H2, see Fig. 4, is provided with slots Ill whereby extensions H3 and H9 are formed. The extensions I I9 protrude into the spaces between the discs 28 and 29 of the feed turret E while the extensions H8 protrude into the spaces between the housing 3 and the outer discs 29 and 28 of the turret 'E. The front end of the extensions H8 and H9 are bent in downward directions as best seen at IZI, Fig. 2. The front ends of the extensions H8 and H9 of the plate H2 are received within corresponding slots i222 of the arcuate-shaped housing 23 of the feed turret E. The slots II3 and H? of the plates II I and II2 respectively are of such width and length as to permit a free rotation of the feed turret E without interfering with the vanes M of the same and permitting oscillating movement of these plates in the manner fully described in my copending application Serial No. 450,938, now Patent No. 2,467,278. Secured to the lower surface of the lower plate H2 is a supporting casting is I, provided with tubular transversely extending portions I32 and I33, within eachof which are rotatably mounted shafts I37 and I38.

Secured to the uppersurface of the plate III, see Fig. 2, is a supporting casting I8I provided with tubular portions I82 and I83 extending transversely of the compartment I7 between the side walls II and I2 of the housing i of the machine. Rotatably mounted within the tubular portions I82 and i553 are shafts I86 and IB'I, respectively.

The shafts I37, I33, and I85 and I8? are operatively connected in the manner shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 450,938, now Patent No. 2,467,278, hereinbefore identified to effect oscillation of the .plates III ment of the plates Ill and H2 away from eachother, the same are retracted, i. e., shifted toward the feed turret E.

Operation From the above description of the feed mechanism, it will therefore be apparent that upon operation of the sprocket 86 by drive chain I06, shafts 24 and 62 will be rotated causing a continuous rotation of the hopper D and feed turret E, in the directions indicated by arrows 01 and I08 in Figs. 1 and 2.

The string beans to be handled by the machine of the present invention are deposited in a promiscuous mass into the continuously rotating hopper D and due to the inclined position of the hopper D the mass of bean-s remains within the lower portion of the same.

While the hopper D is rotating at a predetermined speed, the mass of string beans is somewhat agitated and individual pods disposed parallel to the bean receiving pockets 48 of the hopper D fall into these pockets and are elevated thereby to a position as shown in dotted lines at 2 in Fig. 1, at which time the bean receiving pockets 48 are in a vertical position so that the pods slide from the upper portion of the bean receiving pockets 48 into the lower portion thereof and occupy a position as shown in full lines at 2|2 in Fig. 1 in which the lower ends of the beans rest upon the conical member 6|. Due to the diversion of the side wall portions 54 and 5B and their increasing height toward the lower ends 12 of the same, the cross sectional area of the lower portion 2|3 of the bean receiving pockets 48 is at all points along its length considerably larger than that of the upper portion of said pockets. A free discharge of the string beans from the upper pocket portions into the lower pocket portions 2|3 is therefore assured, when the bean receiving pockets 48 assume a vertical position, as shown at 2|4 in Fig. 1. Furthermore, due to the increasing width and depth of the lower portion 2 l3 of the beam receiving pockets 48, any possibility of wedging of the string beans within the pockets 48 which would impair the transfer of the string beans from the upper portion 2|4 to the lower portion 2 3 of the pockets 48 is eliminated.

After the string beans have been received within the lower portion 2|3 of the bean receiving pockets 48 as shown at 2|2 in Fig. 1, the same are advanced toward the discharge opening 44 of the housing portion 43 during further rotation of the hopper D. As soon as the lower portion 2|3 of the bean receiving pockets 48 is in registration with the openin 44, the string beans are discharged from the pockets 48 and fall into the pockets 42, see Figs. 1 and 2, of the feed turret E, which at this moment is in alignment with the discharge opening 44 to receive a charge of beans therefrom. During the discharge of the beans from the pockets 48 into the pockets 42 of the feed turret E, the individual string beans or pods remain in substantially the same parallel relation in which they were arranged by action of the hopper D.

The bean receiving pockets 48 of the hopper D are preferably of such size that only a few string beans are received therein and the pockets 42 of the feed turret E are of suflicient size to handle the quantity of beans received from the hopper D. A bunch of string beans is formed by each pocket 48 and this bunch of beans is discharged through the opening 44 and is received by a pocket 42 of the turret E. The beans in each turret pocket 42 are delivered in the form of a bunch to the inlet end 2|5 of the feed chute F, see Fig. 2, and are deposited therein while the vanes 4| of the feed turret E recede through the slots 3 in the upper plate I.

Due to the inclination of the vanes 4l| of the feed turret E at a predetermined angle in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the feed turret E, the beans are discharged from the pockets 42 of the feed turret E and are gently shifted into the mouth 2 l5 of the feed chute F while any pinchin or cutting of the beans between the vanes 4| and plates III is prevented.

From the above, it will therefore be seen that due to the action of the hopper D, the string beans are arranged substantially parallel with respect to each other in the pockets 48 with one of their ends engaging the conical member -6|, and are thereupon discharged from the pockets 48 through the opening 44 into the pockets 42 of the feed turret E, which advances the beans to the feed chute F and deposits the same therein. The alignment of one of the ends of the string beans within the pockets 48 by the conical member 6| is important because otherwise a free discharge of the string beans through the opening 44 into the pockets of the feed turret E would be impossible. If the beans are not properly aligned in the manner above described, the other ends thereof opposite to the conical member 6| might protrude beyond the edge 2| 6 of the opening 44 and this would not only prevent a proper discharge of the strin beans into the pockets 42 of the feed turret E but would cause a crushing or cracking of the string beans between the hopper D, housing portion 43 and feed turret E.

In this manner the string beans are supplied to the feed chute F in a substantially parallel arrangement. The string beans thus delivered by the turret E to the feed chute F are advanced therein in the manner fully described in my copending application Serial No. 450,938, now Patent No. 2,467,278, hereinbefore identified.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for handling string beans, a rotatable hopper comprising a conical side wall, and a bottom, said side wall being provided with pockets each having an upper portion of uniform width and depth for receiving beans when said hopper is rotated to dispose said pockets in substantially horizontal position and a lower quadrangular portion of gradually converging width and gradually increasing depth extending beyond said bottom for receiving beans from said upper pocket portion when said hopper is rotated to dispose said pockets in substantially vertical position, said lower pocket portion being of greater width than the upper pocket portion at its point of juncture therewith for facilitating transfer of the beans from said upper to said lower porion.

2. A machine for handling string beans, a hopper comprising a conical wall and a bottom intermediate the upper and lower ends of said wall, said wall being provided with a plurality of bean receiving pockets having upper and lower pocket portions extending above and below said bottom respectively, the upper pocket portions being open at one side to the interior of the hopper and 7 being of uniform-width for receiving beans when said hopper is rotated to dispose said pockets in substantially horizontal position and the lower pocket portions being :open at the opposite side to the texterior of the hopper and being of gradually :oonverging widths extending beyond .said bottom 'for receiving beans from said upper 'portions when said hopper is rotated to dispose said pockets in substantially vertical position, said lower portionsbeing of depths which are at least as great as the depths of said upper'pocket portions and of greater widths than the upper portions at the point of juncture of said upper and lower portions for facilitating the transfer of the beans from the upper to the lower portions, a housing forclosing the open side of the lower pocket portions, said housing having a discharge opening, and'means for rotating the hopper in said housing whereby beans of a promiscuous mass in the hopper are received in the upper pocket portions in substantially parallel relation when said pockets'are disposed in a substantially horizontal position during the rotation of the hopper, are transferred in said relation to the lower pocket portions and aligned therein with one end of the beans lying in a common plane when said pockets are disposed in a substantially vertical position during further rotation of said hopper and are subsequently discharged from said hopper in said aligned relation when the pockets are again disposed in substantially hori zontal position with the lower portions thereof in registration with the opening in said housing.

3. In a machine for arranging the string beans of an unarranged mass into substantially parallelijuxtaposition, a rotatable hopper having an open top, an upper converging sidewall and a bottom, means for rotating said hopper about an inclined axis, a plurality of tapered partitions disposed about'said side wall with their tapered ends toward said bottom, to define, with the converging side wall, a plurality of bean receiving upper pocket portions of substantially uniform cross sectional area throughout their lengths above said bottom, a stationary confining wall 45 surrounding alower portion of said hopper below said side wall and diverging outwardly relatively thereto, and slower partition means mounted to rotate with said :hopper, and defining lbean receiving continuations of said upper pocket .portions below said hopper "bottom, the lower partitionlmeans below the hopper bottom'be'ing offset from the sides of the tapered partitions "to increase the cross sectional area of the lower continuations of said pockets, the lower partition means following the diverging stationary confining wall to increase the cross sectional area of said lower pockets at their lower ends, thereby to free the beans from binding in said pocket portions.

4. Ina machine for arranging the string beams of an unarranged mass into substantially parallel juxtaposition, a rotatable hopper having an open top, an upper converging side wall and a bottom, means for rotating said hopper about an inclined axis, a pluralityof upper partitions disposed about said side wall with their ends toward said bottom to define with the convergingside wall-a plurality of bean receiving upper pocket portions above said bottom, a stationary .confining wall surrounding a lower portion of said hopper below said converging side wall and diverging outwardly relatively thereto, lower partition means mounted to rotate with said hopper, and defining bean receiving continuations of said upper pocket portions below said hopper bottom, the lower partition meansbelowthe hopper bottom being offset from the upper partitions to increase the cross sectional areas of the lower continuations of said upper pocket portions, the lower partition means (following the diverging stationary confining wall to increase the cross sectional area of said lower pocket continuations at their lower ends.

ALBERT R. THOMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Be Back May25, 1943 Number 

